Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Pioneers and Commoners
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I rubbed my eyes at the twisting scenery around me.
For a moment, I thought I was seeing things from exhaustion.
But what was happening around me now was neither an optical illusion nor a hallucination.
'The entire space is really warping.'
The swirling space scraped up the surrounding asphalt and terrain.
It was like a scene of something being viciously torn apart by a powerful grip.
"What the hell is this now!?"
"H-Hey, the sky! The sky looks weird!"
"Waaah! God, please!"
Screams echoed from all directions, so it wasn't just visible to me.
After enduring so much in just one night, people's mental strength had reached its limit.
With the space around them warping entirely on top of that, they plunged into chaos.
Fortunately, the screams and sobs didn't last long.
With the successive system messages, the space gradually returned to normal.
But only the distortion itself had reverted.
The surrounding landscape had changed into something completely different from before.
"...A forest?"
One of the survivors muttered blankly as he looked around.
Sure enough, the place we'd been transported to was a forest in broad daylight.
There was no trace of the cement and skyscrapers that had filled every direction, even if you searched with fresh eyes.
All that existed were trees, grass, and the chirping of birds.
The early survivors who snapped out of it first exchanged glances.
"Holy crap, did the whole village just teleport into the middle of a forest?"
"But where the hell is this? Was there ever a place like this in Korea?"
"Doubt it's Korea. A forest like this couldn't form in a peninsula climate."
"So like the message said, another dimension? Not Earth?"
A grumble or two quickly turned into a lively discussion.
The survivors were bewildered but tried to grasp the situation in their own ways.
Even though it had only been one night, they'd learned the hard way that failing to adapt quickly to changes meant getting weeded out.
Unlike the early survivors, though, the rescued ones couldn't keep their cool.
"Dad, where the heck are we? What about our house?"
"It'll be fine, everything's gonna be okay...!"
"Everyone, get your heads straight! Like the old saying, even if a tiger bites you..."
"Shut up already! Let us think for a sec!"
The rescued people were lost in confusion, chattering every which way.
Among them, the most level-headed were struggling to calm their shock.
But the majority were gripped by fear, zoned out, or even escaping reality.
They didn't seem able to accept the changed situation, let alone adapt to it.
'The difference between those who tackled quests head-on and those who gave up.'
I was closely observing the stark contrast between the two groups when Min Jae-yoon, who'd parted ways after finishing the quest earlier, approached me.
"Kim Jong-min, do you have any idea what the hell just happened?"
"Beats me."
The truth was, even I hadn't seen this coming at all, so I had nothing to say.
Who could've predicted the entire village would end up smack in the middle of a forest?
Not even World Rebuild had anything like this.
"I have no clue about the situation right now either, but one thing's for sure."
"...?"
"The system always points the way."
It had only been one night, but I could say that much confidently.
The system's style wasn't to dump you in the ocean and say figure it out.
It blatantly showed users the path to growth through quests.
Some might find it suspicious, but to me, it was a measure to keep people from wandering aimlessly.
"Right now, we have no idea what to do next. The quests are gone, the location's unfamiliar. We've lost our purpose."
"And when purpose vanishes, the system will soon provide another direction...?"
"Just my guess, mind you."
I shrugged lightly, playing it off as no big deal.
Our conversation paused briefly like that.
"Greetings, noble Pioneers!"
A lively voice rang out from the center of the village.
The one who appeared was a plump, rotund man.
His beard resembled a goat's, and he wore ten rings on his fingers.
On top of that, baggy clothes made of shiny fabric.
He looked exactly like the "greedy merchant" straight out of a fairy tale book illustration.
The survivors' faces hardened at the sudden stranger.
"Who the hell are you? How'd you get in here?"
"Oh dear, my apologies! I forgot to introduce myself!"
The chubby man bowed deeply at the sharp question.
His tone and gestures were exaggerated, like he was performing in a play.
"The name's Algrem! I'm a merchant!"
"What? A merchant? What bullshit is that?"
"Exactly as I said. To make it simpler... hmm."
Algrem, who'd introduced himself as a merchant, scowled.
It was the face of someone forcing themselves to do something they hated.
"I really don't like this term, but it's probably the quickest way for you to understand. I'm an NPC."
"NPC!?"
The survivors' eyes went wide.
NPC. Non-Player Character.
A character created not for players, but for their convenience.
In other words, a being more deeply tied to the system than anyone.
"That's right. But I really... really hate the term NPC. Please call me by name if you can. Merchant or money grubber works too!"
I let out a hollow chuckle at his words.
How much must he despise being called an NPC?
As everyone stayed silent, one person dashed forward to Algrem.
"Alright then, merchant! Time to ask some questions!"
"What would that be?"
Even called a real merchant, Algrem's expression didn't change.
Seemed he truly didn't care what he was called, as long as it wasn't NPC.
"What's going on with this situation? What's this status window? Quests? Who's sending these damn messages?"
Questions everyone was dying to know.
But Algrem scratched his cheek awkwardly, looking troubled.
"Sorry. Can't answer those."
"What? You messing with us!?"
"Whoa, calm down. I'm not trying to tease you. Not hiding it on purpose either."
Algrem fiddled with something around his neck toward the excited survivor.
A gesture like stroking a collar he was wearing.
"I've got restrictions. Limits on what I can teach you folks. Can't say a word about anything beyond that."
"They plant a bomb in your throat or something? Explodes if you talk, head pops off?"
"Nah. More like my tongue just freezes the moment I try. Same if I attempt any workaround."
Algrem shrugged with a smiling face even at the sarcasm.
A gesture saying he was helpless no matter how mad you got.
"My role is strictly merchant. I can tell you all about buying, selling, and item uses, but other questions? Tough."
The people sorted through his words in their heads.
Moments later, one man summed it up with a mutter.
"So you can't explain the current situation? All you can do is open a shop window like in a game?"
"Exactly!"
"Son of a...!"
One survivor ground his teeth, but that was it.
Fighting was blocked inside the safe zone anyway.
Any attempt to attack Algrem would be auto-blocked by the system.
No point in raging; it'd just end in embarrassment, so they had to hold it in.
Then, someone who'd been listening spoke up.
It was one of the people I'd rescued last night.
"You said you're a merchant. So what are you selling?"
"Great question! I sell...!"
Algrem started enthusiastically, then froze.
He stared at the questioner and twisted his face.
"What? You're no Pioneer? A bottom-feeder Commoner daring to talk to me?"
"E-Excuse me?"
"Whatever I sell has nothing to do with trash like you! I'm in the middle of explaining to the nobles—don't bother me, scram! Ptooey!"
People's eyes bulged as Algrem spat with a look of contempt.
The friendly merchant from before was gone.
As everyone reeled from the sudden attitude shift, I spoke up.
"Algrem. I've got a question too."
"Yes, noble Pioneer! What is it?"
Algrem whipped around to me, rubbing his hands eagerly.
His contemptuous face had flipped back to a sycophantic grin.
'Figured as much.'
That reaction alone confirmed half the reason for his change.
For final confirmation—and to inform everyone—I tossed out a question.
"You call some Pioneers and others Commoners. What makes you distinguish? Any criteria?"
"Of course there is!"
Algrem pounded his chest proudly.
"Those who fight selflessly are noble Pioneers. Leeches who just cower and get protected are Commoners. Check levels, and it's simple."
"...!"
"A Curse of Sloth, no less! The scum-of-the-scum curse for the lowest Commoners. Who'd respect trash like that?"
The people froze at Algrem's shout, loud enough for all to hear.